Burrow Down
by Kyubbi-Kitsune
Summary: Sakura, a soldier of the Sound, is assigned to enlist their enemies main base undercover for information that would win the war. But when she discovers factors that twist her country's words, will it affect her view on Konaha, and the boy that leads them?
1. Soldier's Pride

**Soldier's Pride**

Normal Monologue

_Thoughts_

**Naruto's Conscious/Inner Sakura**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

* * *

A man dressed in a dark green army uniform stood in front of a large-pained window, his steel scrutinizing eyes scanning the recruits training in the dusty parade grounds below him. He had cropped grey hair and a faint morning shadow stretched across the bottom of his face. His arms were folded behind him neatly and he stood with legs slightly spread, at attention to the invisible leader in front of him.

The room behind him was dimly lit with only a few lanterns placed here and there throughout the small area, giving off a soft glow to create an eerie feel in the space. The walls were lined with bookcases, which were filled with maps, information on every type of terrain and numerous documents of the soldiers who were, had and would train there.

On his large dark oak desk there was a big leather book, its binding worn and torn in abundant places and covered in dry splatters of crimson blood. The man grimaced and turned his back on the activity outdoors and glanced at the yellowing pages of the hard covered book before him. They were names and ranks of the enemy's entire army, who they had been at war with for far too long. No side had given in for the past decade; the line between them wavering with each defeat and every victory, but never breaking enough to a point where one side was declared winner overall.

The door to the man's office opened slowly with a slight groan and a girl around the age of 17 poked her head in through the gap, her light pink hair cascading around her face, ending at the base of her neck.

"You called for me, sir?" she asked quietly, cautious. The general was well known for his unpredictable bursts of anger and though on her good days she could take the heat, after a full night on watch and no breakfast, the teenager was in no condition to stand through one of his rampages. The gray-haired man nodded shortly and gestured to a sturdy looking wooden chair in front of his massive desk.

"Yes Sakura, come in, come in." he muttered, waving her in absentmindedly. The pinkette responded obediently, coming to stand at attention in front of him and then seating herself lightly, awaiting her general's words.

The older man sighed and looked up, his stony slate eyes weary and dull, as if the life had been completely drained from his body.

"As you know, the recon mission retrieved this register from Konaha's forces about five years ago and has lost it many times since." he explained, his gaze flickering back to the stolen book, almost as if he was afraid it had been snatched again. Sakura nodded; she had been on one of the more recent retrieval teams in the past and knew very well that the beat up binder was highly important and very valuable to their higher ups in the Sound military.

"Well unfortunately, this only gives their names and ranks - I've memorized this book from cover to cover, but its unreliable. Soldiers have taken leave, more have been recruited, some promoted, others killed. It doesn't even show a picture or rough drawing, so I can't match a name to the face!! So, I need someone to go in on the inside and get some information on a few that I feel we need to keep a…_close_ eye on." the general explained. Sakura raised an eyebrow; impersonating a Konaha warrior? That was the worst sentence anyone could give, worse then a death penalty! She felt bad for the poor sucker General Howard had condemned to living amongst those repulsive excuses for soldiers.

"The warrior I need is someone able to lie in a life or death situation, to blend in with even the most despicable of the bunch, to keep their cover when the rest of the situation is falling down around them…which is why I've chosen you."

Sakura's eyes widened. "W-what?! Me, in Konaha, fighting against you, _talking_ to _them_!!" she exclaimed, her head spinning with the mere thought.

_Living with Konahaians! How preposterous!! Never, and I mean never will I--_

General Howard nodded decisively.

"You are the one I feel that is qualified for the job. It won't be for long - as soon as you have gathered the required information, you will be removed from their army as soon as the situation allows." the man promised. Sakura took in a breath, ready to respond in distaste, but her logic instantly took over her opinions. She knew this was important for the Sound's army; they needed the inside intellect of Konahaian soldiers if they had any chance of winning this war…and any hope of returning to how things used to be.

Sakura easily remembered the day the loathsome Konahaians that had killed half of their population almost 11 years ago to this day. Ever since, the Sound country had never been restored back to its former glory, all thanks to Konaha's barbaric attack. Crippled so horribly, it was a miracle they had survived as long as they had against their enemy.

"I…would be happy to accept the honor of carrying out this mission in the name of the Sound." the girl said deliberately. General Howard blinked his acknowledgment and immediately pulled open a drawer in the upper left corner of his desk. He retrieved a small clump of charcoal metal, with a small button on the side. He pushed it across the desk's surface toward the private.

"This is a walkie-talkie cell, an old development in the world of technology, but a recent luxury of our army's inventory. You'll use this to communicate with me here while you're behind enemy lines. Only use it when you're alone and preferably in an enclosed area. If you happen to be caught, we will not assist you, you'll be on your own. We will contact you when you have gathered the necessary amount of data, but only then may you return." Howard commanded. The Sound soldier dipped her chin the faintest bit in response and took the device, slipping it smoothly into the pouch at her side.

"Understood General. Should I depart immediately?" she questioned. The general grunted.

"Pack your things and get moving. Remove anything Sound related and dress yourself in rags of some kind. We want you to look as pathetic as possible; that way you'll blend right in with their new recruits." Howard replied in answer. Sakura smirked and stood abruptly, snapped a salute, turned on her heel and marched out the door, heading to her quarters to begin stocking up for her journey.

As soon as the heavy door shut with a _click_ behind her, General Howard's blank expression fell, twisting into a glowing anger. His eyes flashed down to the open book in front of him and instantly, his sight was drawn to one name in particular, seemingly bolded amongst the rest. He fluidly drew a dagger from its sheath tucked in his belt and with a well-packed thrust, embedded it deeply into the book, the blade sinking all the way into the desk's top it lay on.

And it pierced a single name on the certain page he was on.

_Uzumaki Naruto_

**20 miles inland from Konaha border--**

Bone dry winds blew up off the ground, the endless sea of sand whirling up and around the single figure trudging through it. The jade-eyed girl gasped for breath, only to inhale another lungful of the grit in the air around her, causing her to lurch into a coughing fit.

Her hand flew to the water pouch hanging from her belt, grasping it tightly. She raised it her mouth and squeezed, but to her despair, only a single drop fell from its nozzle, practically evaporating in the air before it could even reach her parched lips.

Sakura sighed and exasperatedly thrust the bottle back through a loop in the torn piece of cotton she was currently using to hold her oversized shirt closer to her body, wanting to have at least little dents as a body instead of being a walking stick figure.

She glanced up and could literally see the heat waves rolling off the terrain like the mighty waves of the ocean. From what she read on a map, the closest recruit training camp lay roughly 22 miles from the border separating this dreadful country from her beloved home of the Sound. She had to be nearing her destination, but the freaking desert was taking so much out of her, it was unbearable. At this point, she'd rather be wearing the Konahaian uniform then taking another step in the blistering dry heat.

She stopped in her tracks and shook her head rapidly, trying to clear her head. If she thought being one of _them_ was a good idea, then the heat must _really _be starting to getting to her. Taking as deep a breath as she could muster without being sent into another wheezing frenzy, she took a step forward and then another, making her way towards the hell she'd be stationed at for the next few weeks, learning as much as she could about the enemy for her shambled country.

But after only a few more meters, a wave of nausea washed over, her vision flickering black momentarily. The teen swayed on her feet and stumbled, her perception of balance temporarily thrown off by her dehydration. She struggled to regained her stature, and just as she thought it had all passed, her surroundings turned to darkness and all she could feel was the sensation of falling as she collapsed in the alien auburn land, sinking into unconsciousness.

**Later--**

Sakura's mind reopened to the outside world, her recovering senses a fuzzy mess. Instantly, she was aware of a dry ache in the back of her throat, as if a piece of sand paper had been lodged in her windpipe. She immediately began to cough violently and she shot up swiftly, her head swimming with stars. A protective hand pressed itself into her back, holding her in a slouched over position as she heaved dryly. When her stomach stopped trying to repel something that wasn't there, she straightened up wearily, glancing back at the person that was helping support her.

A girl with pale blue eyes smiled, her light blonde ponytail falling around her shoulders. She was wearing a simple royal purple tank top with dark grey kapris and matching sandals. Her face was friendly enough, all her features turned up with the grand grin she had spread across her face, but the first think you learn in the army, is it's easy to lie.

"You had me worried there for a minute. I though you were gonna have a seizure or something." the girl breathed, sounding relieved. Sakura didn't respond, instead examining the room she was residing in. It wasn't the biggest space she had ever seen, but it also wasn't as small as most back home. It was a single hospital dorm, the walls a blinding bleached white, which matched the concrete counters and stained oak cabinets built into the walls. She was sitting in one of the two beds, the other neatly made with pressed sheets and fluffed pillows, while her blankets were twisted in and out, winding around her body due to what must've been her tossing and turning.

She turned back to the girl at her bedside and inhaled slowly.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice hoarse. The blonde teen grinned softly.

"My name's Ino Yamanaka, and I'm a part-time trainee here at the hospital."

she answered. Sakura dipped her head in acknowledgment, making a mental notice to check if she was on the list General Howard had given her.

"Where am I?" Sakura wondered aloud, watching Ino dozily.

"You're in the medical center, right in the middle of Konaha's Recruit Camp." Ino answered. "Some of our patrolmen found you half-buried in the sand, passed out from dehydration. You've been unconscious for almost six hours." she explained.

Sakura sighed and furrowed her brow. Was this where she was supposed

to be? What other recruit camp could be near the place she had collapsed at then the one she was looking for in the first place?

"Is this the Thunder unit?" the pinkette questioned - it was the name of the specified training grounds she was ordered to register at. Ino nodded, her hair bouncing merrily along with the exaggerated movement.

"You betcha!" she exclaimed, her cheeriness making Sakura want to gag.

This Konahaian was putting on a great show, pretending that people like her

hadn't been killing off innocent Sound citizens for years on end.

The door swung open and a woman strode into the room, her heels clicking loudly on the polished floor and her shoulder length black hair swinging with her movements. She had a clipboard in her hands and her gaze skimming the words printed on the page as she walked. She expertly dodging equipment carts and stools without visibly looking up from her work. Ino immediately straightened up in her seat, her eyes widening.

"L-lady Shizune!!" she gasped. The doctor's eyes flickered to the teen and she flashed a swift smile before returning her attention to the board.

"Suffering from dehydration, found unconscious in the desert a mile and a

half from camp, alone, no ID…well, you're certainly in a predicament, aren't

you?" the medic asked, glancing up from apparently Sakura's medical chart. The teen nodded, pulling on a confused mask, playing the role everyone here seemed to be following.

"I-I ran out of water and a-after running for s-so long…I just c-couldn't go on

anymore." she explained in a raspy, shaky voice. Shizune nodded gently in reply, her midnight eyes glimmering with sympathy. Her gaze turned to the blonde at Sakura's side.

"Ino, could you please get our guest a glass of water?" she asked,

motioning towards the gleaming steel sink embedded in one of the cement

counter tops. The purple-clad teen scrambled hurriedly over to the sink, snatching a small, crystal glass cup out of the cupboard. Shizune fell onto the chair Ino had been occupying, the wood groaning from the sudden force of weight. She pulled her stethoscope from around her neck and stuffed the small light grey bulbs in her ears. "Lean forward please."

Sakura complied and she felt the ice cold circle of metal press softly into her back, above the middle of her left lung.

"Breathe deeply." Shizune instructed, and listened carefully as Sakura filled her lungs to the brim with wonderfully crisp air, untainted with sand and debris. Ino returned, handing the pinkette a generous glass of water. Sakura sucked it down quickly, the cool liquid soothing the dull throbs pounding in her throat. Shizune sighed and leaned back, tugging the stethoscope down around her neck.

"Your airways have been cleared of the sand you had inhaled in the seven minutes you were exposed to the immense levels of grit. You shouldn't be having any more problems breathing and that cough will disappear soon. I'll just go cross your name off the active list and then you'll be discharged to the registration center." the raven-haired medic explained, jotting down a few notes on her clipboard. "Next time, you would benefit by bringing an extra flask if you plan on walking through Valley Desert alone. You're lucky someone found you, otherwise you wouldn't have lasted much longer, especially once night fell."

Ino nodded her agreement with a grimace. "During the day it's hot as the deepest pit of hell, but at night…" she shuddered. "It's worse then swimming in a sub-artic lake." Sakura groaned inwardly - what kind hell had she been sucked into?

"Ino, I want you to escort her to the center across campus, and help get everything situated afterwards, ok?" the physician ordered, tearing a small slip of paper off her board and handing it to the teen beside her. Said girl bowed her head in comply.

"Of course Doctor Shizune." Ino answered, smiling at the elder female kindly as she exited the room. The door _clicked_ softly shut and Ino turned back, her childish grin again donning her face. "Well, we'd better get you over to the administration office, so we can get you signed up and everything." she said, motioning towards the door. Sakura nodded in agreement; yes, it was due time to get this show on the road already.

Sakura slid out of bed and her bare feet hit the wood planks of the floor with a muffled _thump_. She slipped into her combat boots near the footboard and followed the blonde out of her hospital room into a long, vacant hallway. As they walked to what Sakura could only assume was the entrance/exit, they passed many more chambers similar to the one Sakura had been placed in, some containing figures, others pressed and orderly, awaiting sick or injured soldiers to come and ruin the image.

"This is the main infirmary in the Thunder Unit's, with two others posted at the west and east sides of the campground. They only have one room each, and are used only in cases of major illness where the patient needs to be under quarantine." Ino advocated, waving to various warriors either being checked out or waiting to be.

"The hospital is in the northern part and the center for recruits is in the northwestern most corner, only a short walk away really. We'll sort everything out there." Ino suddenly stopped short and whipped around, showing an incredible amount of speed.

"You _are_ a new recruit, aren't you?" she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly. Sakura smirked inwardly; took 'em quite awhile to become suspicious…odd for such merciless destroyers. She had to give it to them, they really knew how to act.

"Of course I am. I was on my way here when I ran out of water. It was only a short while later that my body just kinda…gave out on me." the rose-haired girl explained, her voice sounding deflated and worn, getting her the desired effect. Ino's hardened eyes softened, and a small, sympathetic smile spread across her lips.

"That must've been horrible…I'm sorry I doubted you. It's just…with the war and…well, you know the story, it's just not that easy to trust outsiders so much these days." the blonde apologized, starting up her moderate walk again. Sakura smiled understandingly, but on the inside, she was rolling her eyes indignantly.

_How long are they planning on keeping this nice act up?_

They stepped into the lobby, its gleaming white-tiled floors shining from a recent mop. Ino pushed the heavy metal-framed door open and both girls were met by a gust of dry heat, dust billowing up in their faces. As they emerged from the cleanliness of the clinic, the blistering heat only brought back the soreness Sakura had gotten over just a few minutes ago.

"This way." Ino called, making her way across a deserted parade ground toward a small, wooden structure, which could only be assumed to be the Recruit Center Doctor Shizune had been talking about.

Ino quickly scaled the few steps up onto the creaky veranda and pulled open the screened door, tilting her head for Sakura to go in ahead of her. The pinkette reacted tentatively; from here on out, she was undercover, with no where and no way to back out safely.

* * *

**A/N** - Alright, new story! Just to answer some questions that _might _be asked, this war is in modern day times, but where, I do not know. =D Somewhere hot and desert-like. Yes, Sakura isn't the nicest thinker about the people of Konaha, but hey, it's a war story. Now, the questions I won't answer: which side is the good one, and what happened to start this whole thing? These will be answered…well, later.

**Kyubbi-Kitsune**

**Next Chapter: Say Hello**

"_Wait until you meet our Lieutenant…he something words just can't describe."_


	2. Say Hello

**Say Hello**

Normal Monologue

_Thoughts_

**Naruto's Conscious/Inner Sakura**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

* * *

**_Say Hello--_**

The cherry-haired girl was met by a blast of cool air, refreshing from the blistering heat outdoors, though she had only been out there a matter of minutes. The weather here was much different then she was used to; back home, a vast majority of the landscape was taken up by soft grass, warm sunlight, and loads of plant life, trees being the main attraction.

The large chamber they were in was like most of the other buildings she had seen so far today - made completely out of wood. The maple planks on the wall were dyed a deep maroon, with the floorboards a pale, washed white. The place was simply decorated, but it looked nice; it had light green sofas lining the outer walls with a few recliner chairs placed here and there. Dark, dirt brown coffee tables were at the foot of every other couch, each cleared and shining reflectively like glass.

There was a dormant big paneled TV on the right wall, hanging over a long, waist high counter. Sitting on a stool behind it was a boy about their age, flipping through a magazine with a bored expression, his chin rested in his left palm.

As Ino and Sakura approached him, he glanced up and instantly, some life returned to his chocolate eyes. He wore a short-sleeved grey hoodie with the zipper drawn up halfway, covering a ebony tank top muscle shirt. He had chocolate brown hair cut in a sloppy, shaggy style, not like all the guys back home, where their locks had to be trimmed to a certain, very short length.

"Ino! Thank Kami, I was about to die!" the boy exclaimed, sliding the glossy publication across the counter's surface, the read falling off the side and landing on the floor with a _slap_. His gaze flickered over to the pinkette at the blonde's side, his eyebrow raising. "And this would be…?"

"This is…actually, I'm not really sure. Shizune never really told me her name. But I _do _know that she's here as a new addition to the group!" Ino replied, smiling supportively at the teen next to her. The brunette nodded and stood, walking over to a door that blended very well with the surrounding wall, and knocked twice, pressing his ear to the barricade, waiting for a reply.

"Hold on…just have to…finish this…chapter." a voice carried from the room inside, soft and distant, whoever that was speaking obviously doing something of major importance.

The clerk rolled his eyes and sighed, returning to the medic and Sound soldier with a slight smile.

"Sorry, he'll see you in a minute. He's just _reading_ again." he stated, his voice hanging on that one word, causing Sakura to tilt her head in confusion. But Ino seemed to know exactly what the teen was talking about, as she scoffed.

"That, _again_? How many books does that man need to read? And I thought the author quit writing?" Ino moaned, casting a glance at the door near the edge of the desk. The teen shrugged.

"Not surprising really. You know that man has a thing for everything perverted." he shot, chuckling softly at some joke unknown to the emerald-eyed girl, who just stood there with them, silently waiting to be relieved from these two. Ino noticed this almost immediately and gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

"Oh, I forgot! Sorry, we don't get that many newbie's any more, so we're all sorta out of the whole 'introduction' thing. This is Kiba Inuzuka, and he's in our squadron too. Though, I don't exactly know why he's here…" the blonde girl introduced, turning to look at Kiba with a penetrating gaze. The brunette threw up his hands defensively, smiling widely.

"Hey, I've got absolutely nothing to do till drills and no one was here at the desk. I thought it'd be little more fun up here, but man…I was so wrong! This has probably been the worst hour of my life!" he whined, his lower lip jutting out like a child. Ino giggled, shaking her head.

"That's what you get for listening to them, you should've known better." She turned to Sakura again and grinned. "Don't worry, you'll met the rest of the gang later, some more pleasant then others." she added, directing her gaze at Kiba. He gasped sarcastically.

"Oh, Ino has forsaken me! How will I go on, where will I find life's meaning!?" he cried, ignoring Ino's death glare and waltzing straight out the door, jumping into a run as soon as his feet hit the scalding hot sand, he discovered with a yelp.

Just then, the nearly invisible door opened, revealing a tall man, looking to be in his late twenties. He had silver hair that stuck in an upper right direction, defying the laws of gravity. He donned dark black pants, ending right below his knees and a sapphire blue t-shirt, the Konoha country symbol stitched onto his left shoulder. He had a mask covering the bottom portion of his face and a headband hanging over his left eye, the metal attached to the cloth sporting the same character. He smirked lightly at the two, or at least that's what Sakura could assume, as he mouth was concealed completely by the dark indigo fabric.

"So, you're the rogue Rock Lee and Chouji picked up in the desert. Well, don't just stand there, we have to get you registered in time for the drills this afternoon." he said, his voice quiet and gleeful. As he strode back into the room, Sakura shot Ino a look, her eyebrow raised. Ino smirked.

"He's…different, for sure. But he's nice and cooler then others, you'll see." she replied to her silent question. "I'll be waiting out here for you when you're done." she added, gesturing to a puffy, comfortable looking couch with a direct view of the large-screened TV.

The spy nodded, smiling to herself as she slid into the interview room, closing the door softly behind her. She turned and took in her surroundings instantly, a good skill to learn at a young age for someone in combat.

The room was tiny, maybe the size of a small bedroom. The walls were painted a light lime green, giving the space a vibrant, alive feel. The tan carpet underneath her feet was very shaggy, leaving behind a replicate footprint in the must-be spongy material.

The man with the eye patch was sitting at a broad mahogany desk, reclining in a heavily padded chair with an off-white leather cover. His feet were crossed and up on the desktop, lying on top on mounds upon mounds of papers and files, all stacked up into disarrayed piles across the surface. He motioned to a stool in front of the table. Sakura plopped down onto the bubble-like seat, her posture straight and poised, perfected by years of training back home. The silver-haired soldier sighed and leaned forward, swinging his legs back down and under the underside of the desk.

"Well, let's get this show on the road, shall we?" he grunted, stretching as he reached for a blank file and a sharpened pencil from the metal tin near the top right edge. He flicked the file open with his pinkie and licked the tip of his writing utensil, glancing up with a bored expression at the teen before him.

"Let's start with something simple, ok? My name is Kakashi Hatake, Major in the Army of Konoha, and currently doing odd jobs until further noticed." he introduced. "And your name would be?"

Sakura thought for a moment; General Howard had never told her to use a fake name, but it would be the smartest move. Then again, no one really knew her as a Sound warrior by name, seeing they never gave out the names of anyone, and besides, she'd never be able to remember whatever title she made for herself, making her a target for accusations.

"My name's Sakura Haruno." she finally said, coming to her conclusion in a matter of seconds. Kakashi nodded, jotting down the information.

"Age and date of birth?" he questioned.

"17, March 21" she replied robotically, remembering all the questions they had reviewed with her when she was inducted into the Sound's recruits.

"Hometown or place of birth? And why do you want to join Konoha's Army?" Hatake listed off, going down the row of questions that were required to be answered.

"I was born in Tanzaku Town and have lived there ever since then. I wish to join the army because the Sound's forces have done a number on this country since the war started, killing innocent people, ruining villages, raiding much needed supplies, sending us into poverty, bankruptcy…they just need to be put to a stop." Sakura muttered, for a second going off into a rampage of her own country's problems, caused by _Konoha's_ army, but reeling it back in quickly.

Kakashi looked shocked, taken aback for a moment, but shook himself out of his daze, his mouth turned up in a half smile.

"Nice to see the youth caring so much for the outside world these days. They're turning out to be a great bunch of soldiers." he whispered, flipping to the next page in Sakura's new profile. "Now, let's here a bit about your past."

Sakura flinched visibly, her shoulders scrunching up a bit. Her history was always a touchy subject, here and back in the Sound. She never liked to relive it and avoided thinking about it as much as possible, the recounts of that night replaying itself over and over, causing nightmares for days afterwards.

Kakashi saw her reaction and swiftly crossed a large red X through that section.

"It's ok, you don't have to talk about it." he said quickly, a smiling gracing his face momentarily, his eye shining kindly. "You're not alone though, some people here have had a pretty rough past too. You'll probably meet them later on." he reassured. The pinkette grinned gratefully, though she doubted they would make it any better; the pain had never been healed and she knew it probably never will, no matter who she met. She was just…never happy enough to _want_ to mend the gaping hole in her heart and soul.

_I mean, why get your hopes up when the world is just going to let you down again anyway? I'd rather just live in solitude the rest of my life, in my own little shell, never to be hurt again…_

The two sat there for another half hour, question upon question thrown at her, all procedure unfortunately, as Kakashi told her.

Soon though, it was over, and the silver-haired major was opening the door for her, gleaming widely.

"Well, you seem like a very nice young girl and a great addition to Konaha's military. Of course, you'll have to have a physical sometime during the next week, but the board likes to let new recruits get accommodated and settled in first, you know, make some friends." he informed as Ino bounced cheerily over. He handed Sakura a small slip of paper with her dorm and locker info written in neat capital letters. "Ino will explain anything else of importance."

He flashed a brisk salute and twisted on his heel, marching back in through the door. The blonde girl smiled kindly and motioned towards the door.

"Come on, we've got a lot to do before drills. I guess the best thing to start with would be your dorm." the blonde said, looking over the list of numbers Kakashi had given her. Sakura nodded in agreement; she hadn't yet had a chance to sneak a peek at the list of names General Howard had given her earlier. She wanted to get what she needed from these people and get out, before her brain turned to mush.

Ino held the spring door open as Sakura tentatively stepped into the sun, bright rays falling in scalding streaks, seemingly more intensely then before.

"What time is it?" Sakura asked, raising a hand to shield her eyes as they walked out onto the burning sand.

"A little after 10 by the look of the sun." the blonde replied, swiping a strand of hair away from her eyes. Sakura groaned under her breath; only 10 in the morning? It had to be at least 100 degrees out here! And high rise was still a few hours away! How could these people live like this, it was unbearable!

"It's a little hot, isn't it?" the pinkette breathed feeling the beads of sweat already starting to gather on her forehead. Ino smirked.

"Yeah, it can get pretty bad out here, but it's one of the safest places to build a recruit camp." the Konohaian answered with a sigh, glancing up at the blazing sun in turn. Sakura raised an eyebrow - time to get some info on the enemy.

"Why is that?" Sakura asked. Ino shrugged.

"I'm not 100% sure exactly, but the founder said that the Sound live in lush forests and rolling prairies, so they aren't used to the heat of Konaha's deserts.". At this, Sakura had to roll her eyes; this chick had no idea what she was talking about. The whole northern side of the Sound country was a barren wasteland - nothing had grown there for years and the ground was littered with bones of thousands of Soundites that had been slaughtered in cold blood. Though she had never seen the land for herself, she'd seen pictures and heard plenty of tales from older soldiers; the once prosperous country side had been destroyed by the loathsome Konoha army.

This memory ignited a flame of rage deep in Sakura's stomach, and the feeling spread like a wild fire throughout her body. Her purpose for being here rang clear and true in her ears again, General Howard's praising words and orders swimming in her mind. Sakura was filled with a determination she had never felt before and she found herself actually looking _forward_ to living here the next couple of days, burrowing into the Konahaians secrets and society, before ripping them out from under their murderous feet.

Sakura smiled thoughtfully, her mind already buzzing with different ideas for getting her hands on all she'd need to dismantle this place from the inside out. Ino smirked inwardly - the new girl certainly liked to think things through.

"I guess you're right about the whole location thing." Sakura finally answered, the first phase of the take-down completing itself in her mind. Ino nodded enthusiastically.

"The founder was a great thinker and a wonderful man. It's just to bad that…"

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Too bad what?"

The blonde shook her head sadly in response, her pale sapphire gaze dimming to a mere spark.

"It's a story not meant for me to tell. Besides, I'm not even sure of all the details, all but one of us does. And he's never told anyone definite answers." Ino added. Sakura nodded sympathetically, turning away from the subject before it got touchy - emotions were never her cup of tea anyway. But it did spark a light of curiosity in the back of her mind. What possibly could make one of _them_ upset? And by the sound of it, the feeling was mutual.

Could it be used against them?

_Important questions._ Sakura thought, though there wasn't any time to delve deeper. Ino had shaken her out of the daze she vowed to retreat to as many times as possible while here, pointing out that the large wooded building standing in front of them was the dorms.

"The girls wing is to the right, guys to the left." Ino explained, leading Sakura down a silent hallway towards the girl's rooms.

Much like the rest of the furnishings, the hallway wasn't anything like an army camp would've looked like. The cool green carpet was soft, so much so that Sakura could feel its give through the thick soles of her combat boots. The walls were painted a light blue and snapshots of beach photos were lined here and there, giving the overall feeling of a tropical vacation.

"We like to keep the interior of the dorms as cool looking as possible, so we went with a beach kind of look, to give us all a break from the blistering heat outdoors." Ino clarified, noticing Sakura taking in the surroundings with a kind of reverent relief, feeling a bit more comfortable then she had in a while.

"Now let's see, your room number is…hey, 115, same as mine!" the blonde exclaimed when she look another look at Sakura's list of information. Sakura smiled back at the bouncing teen but groaned in her heart.

_This kind of cheeriness 24/7? Ugh, kill me now!_

Ino grandly opened the door to their shared room and the pinkette was met by a refreshing blast of cool air. It wasn't the largest space for living, but it was much more decent then the dorms back home.

The space was wide open with four beds, each a respectable distance from the other and covered with the same sea green comforters. Beside each was a small bedside chocolate brown desk, with drawers for any possessions you were allowed to keep. A large walk-in closet dented the wall just to the left of the door, with sliding mirrors separating the space from the rest of the bedroom.

Another smaller wooden door stood closed on the left, which Sakura could only assume was the bathroom they would be sharing. The room had one large-pained window, on the farthest wall, opening a view on the parade grounds, with thick, dark blue curtains hanging to the immediate sides.

"Well, here it is. Home sweet home!" Ino stated, walking ahead of the Sound teen into their room, flopping down onto what could be guessed as her bed. She sighed in contempt and stretched widely, reveling in the cold air she had probably been deprived of for a few hours now.

Sakura wandered in, her too feeling a little better about being here now that she was in a more comfortable state. Though she knew that in a matter of minutes she'd be forced back into the pits of hell just outside the window, her mind broke down from focusing on her mission for just that moment, enjoying the peace.

"Sorry, but the only bed that's not taken is the on farthest from the bathroom by the window." Ino put in, pulling herself into an Indian-style sitting position, the mattress moving considerably with her movement. Sakura waved her off dismissively.

"No, it's alright. I like places with a view." she responded. Not like there was much to look at besides sand and the sides of buildings. Ino grinned and rolled onto her side, sighing in contentment. Sakura dropped onto her bed, sinking heavily down, the mattresses sponginess surprising her. "This doesn't even feel like a military dorm." the pinkette commented.

"Our higher ups were against spending so much on living quarters, but our Lieutenant was persistent in making them really nice. He thought that since we're so far away from home combined with…well, military risks, that we should have something comfortable." Ino replied. Sakura raised an eyebrow.

"Shouldn't the expenses be paid for something more…I dunno, valuable? Like weapons or something?" she questioned. Ino shrugged.

"Probably…but when it all comes down to it, though weapons would be vital in winning a battle, it doesn't mean much when you're too exhausted to use it properly." the blonde responded. Sakura was shocked - her answer was well thought out and made a lot of sense…they were certainly free thinkers here.

"I never thought about it that way." Sakura admitted, her eyes trailing to the soft blanket beneath her, her hands stroking it gently. Ino smiled.

"Yeah…the Lieutenant sure is something. But of all the things I could call him, caring is definitely one of them." she chuckled, closing her eyes briefly, her breathing calm and her expression peaceful.

"You must think highly of the Lieutenant by the way you talk about him, huh?" Sakura burrowed, feeling the edge of a possible weakness pushing itself onto the table. Ino's already present smile burst into a grin and a small giggle escaped her lips.

But before the blonde could respond, a loud chime rang through the camp, rocking the wooden building with it's alto voice. Ino was instantly on her feet, striding quickly towards the door.

"Come on, time for afternoon drill." she called, her voice already distant as she walked down the hallway. Sakura stealthily flipped to her feet and chased after her blonde escort, softly closing the heavy door to their room behind her. She jogged the few paces between her and Ino's side, matching her long strides in a matter of seconds. The two skipped down the steps and made their way to join the gathering group on the parade grounds, a multitude of teens chatting in small circles. Ino maneuvered her way through the throng of people, a destination obviously in mind. Sakura scanned the faces of the many Konohaians surrounding her, wondering how many were on the list tucked safely in her back pocket.

Suddenly, a familiar face burst into the rampage of people - it was the brunette she had met earlier in the enlist building, but her name escaped her mind…

"Kiba!" Ino shouted, helpfully placing the name to the face in Sakura's mind. The boy turned half-way towards them, waving them over before going back to a conversation he was engrossed in with two others. Ino grabbed Sakura's forearm and gently guided her over to her group of friends, skillfully dodging the mass of people quickly closing in.

"Hey guys." Ino called as they approached, smiling sweetly. The group turned and most smiled in return, while a few only nodded or grunted as their respond. A girl with dark almost purple hair and milky white eyes flickered her gaze to Sakura, but quickly averted her eyes to the ground, a faint pink hue covering her cheeks. But the pinkette hadn't missed the glint of curiosity shining her translucent orbs in that brief moment; a look that was copied in everyone else's.

"Who's your friend?" a voice drawled, belonging to a taller boy with his dark brown hair drawn up into a high ponytail, standing straight on end like the leaf of a pineapple.

"This is Sakura, she's a brand new recruit!" the blonde replied energetically, moving into the space set aside for the two girls. Ino turned to Sakura and continued on, "This is Shikamaru."

Sakura flashed a swift smirk at the teen who repeated the action in reply before turning his gaze to the clouds, his eyes lazily following the large puffs of white fly across the great baby blue expanse of sky.

"And this is Chouji and Rock Lee - they found you in the desert earlier." Ino introduced, pointing out the two. Chouji uttered a 'hello' but before another word could be said, a rather ambitious teen pushed his way closer, his gleaming black bowl cut flashing brilliantly in the sun.

"Hello Miss Sakura! When I saw you unconscious in the sand on our innocent patrol, I thought that surely an angel has fallen from heaven! Your radiant beauty stole my heart, even in sleep!" the boy, who could only be Rock Lee, exclaimed, his hands clasped together. Ino scowled playfully and pushed on the teen's head, sending him backwards into the light sand.

"Ignore him…if you can." she laughed lightly, ignoring the soft groans emanating from the ground. Sakura chuckled nervously, an edge of nervousness making it's way into her voice.

"Well, moving on…that there is Hinata. She's kinda quiet, but a really sweet one. And that's TenTen, our amazing weapon's extraordinaire!" Ino went on, pointing out the girls in order. Hinata, who had cast Sakura a glance earlier waved meekly, though her eyes remained no higher then shin level. TenTen on the other hand giggled, smiling broadly.

"Well I wouldn't say extraordinaire, expert is just fine!" she replied jokingly, her twin buns bouncing with her laughs.

"And then we have Neji, Shino and Sai." Ino went on, motioning to the three boys completing the circle. Neji, who's eyes resembled Hinata's to a tee, didn't say a word, only offered the infamous backwards nod as a greeting. Shino muttered a simple 'hey' and Sai…well, Sai was currently sketching a picture in a travel pad, so he seemed quite out of the whole ordeal. At this, Ino couldn't help but sigh, though she explained to the pinkette that the whenever the teen was hit with an inspiration, he would zone everything out until he had completed his thoughts. They would have to meet later.

Ino glanced around the large gathering of friends, her pale blues filled with confusion.

"Hey, as anyone seen--"

"Troops, fall in!" a loud, but smooth voice shouted above the conundrum, splitting through the air. Instantly, all conversation diminished, and the crowd of teens rushed into a basic block formation, Sakura scrambling to get with the program, standing next to Ino and Hinata.

A raven-haired teen strode through the numbers, scanning them silently with his onyx colored eyes. With his arms crossed behind his back, he gave off an aura of 'no nonsense' attitude, which had Sakura wondering…was this the Lieutenant she had heard so much about?

Just then, a voice rang out against the quiet, the tone warm and friendly, breaking through the air of stone.

"Doing my job again, are we Sasuke?" it called, a laugh bordering his words. The black-haired teen named Sasuke whipped around on his heel, turning back towards the voice. A small smirk lit his face, diminishing his façade of stoic harshness.

"Just trying to keep them on their toes." he replied, moving towards an empty slot near the outer edges of the block. Sakura heard the faint approach of footsteps, shuffling across the cement and sand smoothly. She figured that whoever had spoken was near the back of the numbers, so she jumped when the voice spoke again…but it was right beside her.

"Well it seems today we have a guest."

* * *

~Ok, so it's kinda a filler chapter. Sakura gets recruited officially, settled in and meets everyone except a certain person the series is named after…where is he anyway? So next chapter we officially meet said person (his name will not be mentioned :)), and then things should move along nicely. And no, I didn't know I was spelling Konoha wrong, thank you!

Also, if I screw up the ranking orders for this story, let me know. I don't really know this stuff and am going off memory.

Later everyone.

Oh yeah…Happy New Year! :)

**Kyubbi-Kitsune**

**Next Chapter: Lieutenant**

"_Empty your pockets."_

_Sakura felt a cold sweat break out on the back of her neck. The list General Howard had given her…was in her back pocket._


End file.
